A method reduces differences in chucking forces that are applied by two electrodes of an electrostatic chuck, to a substrate disposed atop the chuck. The method includes providing initial chucking voltages to each of the two electrodes, and measuring an initial current provided to at least a first electrode of the two electrodes. The method further includes initiating a process that affects a DC voltage of the substrate, then measuring a modified current provided to at least the first electrode, and determining, based at least on the initial current and the modified current, a modified chucking voltage for a selected one of the two electrodes, that will reduce chucking force imbalance across the substrate. The method also includes providing the modified chucking voltage to the selected one of the two electrodes.

The present invention discloses a tool holding device for shank type tools, comprising at least one tool holder, a base part and a top part, whereby at least the top part comprises uptake holes for the at least one tool holder characterized in that, the tool holding device can be used for more than one process step among transfer, cleaning, pretreatment, coating, posttreatment, and each of the at least one tool holders can optionally take up a sleeve holding the shank type tool in a distinct, preferably upright position and comprises one or more openings, which allow fluid and/or solid treatment agents to exit the tool holder and/or sleeve and the at least one tool holder and/or sleeve enables three-fold rotation of the shank type tool. Further a method using the inventive tool holding device is disclosed.

Provided are apparatuses and methods for performing deposition and etch processes in an integrated tool. An apparatus may include a plasma processing chamber that is a capacitively-coupled plasma reactor, and the plasma processing chamber can include a showerhead that includes a top electrode and a pedestal that includes a bottom electrode. The apparatus may be configured with an RF hardware configuration so that an RF generator may power the top electrode in a deposition mode and power the bottom electrode in an etch mode. In some implementations, the apparatus can include one or more switches so that at least an HFRF generator is electrically connected to the showerhead in a deposition mode, and the HFRF generator and an LFRF generator is electrically connected to the pedestal and the showerhead is grounded in the etch mode.

Provided is a doping method for doping by injecting a dopant into a processing target substrate. According to this doping method, a value of bias electric power supplied during a plasma doping processing is set to a predetermined value on premise of a washing processing to be performed after a plasma doping, and plasma is generated within a processing vessel using microwaves so as to perform the plasma doping processing on the processing target substrate hold on a holding pedestal in the processing vessel.

A processing chamber such as a plasma etch chamber can perform deposition and etch operations, where byproducts of the deposition and etch operations can build up in a vacuum pump system fluidly coupled to the processing chamber. A vacuum pump system may have multiple roughing pumps so that etch gases can be diverted a roughing pump and deposition precursors can be diverted to another roughing pump. A divert line may route unused deposition precursors through a separate roughing pump. Deposition byproducts can be prevented from forming by incorporating one or more gas ejectors or venturi pumps at an outlet of a primary pump in a vacuum pump system. Cleaning operations, such as waferless automated cleaning operations, using certain clean chemistries may remove deposition byproducts before or after etch operations.

A semiconductor processing system processes semiconductor wafers in a process chamber. The process chamber includes semiconductor process equipment for performing semiconductor processes within the chamber. The process chamber includes a heat pipe integrated with one or more components of the process chamber. The heat pipe effectively transfers heat from within the chamber to an exterior of the chamber.

Exemplary lithography mask processing chambers may include a substrate support that includes a plurality of lift pins that are vertically translatable relative to a top surface of the substrate support. The lithography mask processing chambers may include a cover ring positioned atop the substrate support. The cover ring may define a rectilinear substrate seat. A top surface of the rectilinear substrate seat may be elevated above the top surface of the substrate support. An outer periphery of the rectilinear substrate seat may be positioned outward of the plurality of lift pins.

A method of attracting an object to a mounting table is provided. The object is a substrate, an edge ring, or a combination of the substrate and the edge ring. The mounting table is provided with an electrostatic chuck including electrodes. After the object is placed on the electrostatic chuck, n-phase alternating current (AC) voltages (n≥2) are applied to the electrodes. Each phase voltage of the n-phase AC voltages has a phase different from each other, and the phase voltage of the n-phase AC voltages is applied based on a self-bias voltage of the object.

Carrier rings with radially-varied plasma impedance are provided herein. In some embodiments, a carrier ring may include an outer ring that holds a removable inner ring. The outer ring may be formed of a dielectric material such as ceramic. The inner ring may be formed of a metal such as aluminum to provide a desired impedance. In some other embodiments, a carrier ring is formed from a single piece with radially-varying impedances.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for processing substrate comprising: a support plate; an antenna disposed in parallel to one surface of the support plate and having 1st to n-th turns (n=an integer greater than 3) wound along one direction from an inner end; and a distance control unit capable of adjusting separation distances formed between the 1st to n-th turns.